Guest commentary: Peter Rollins violates his own principle

The recent Press interview with Peter Rollins ("Christianity with a twist in N. Ireland," Nov. 15) raises a fundamental question: Does Rollins believe the Bible is God' s revelation?

The answer seems to be "no." Rollins may concede that the Bible is a message from God, but this message is so convoluted with "metaphors that clash and smash together" that we cannot determine what it means.

Rollins apparently believes that the message of Scripture is that we can't know God. The revelation is that there is no revelation.

Perhaps this is why, in "How (Not) to Speak of God," Rollins declares: "When it comes to God, we have nothing to say to others and we must not be ashamed of saying it."

Once Rollins gives up revelation, the specific and historic beliefs of the church quickly follow.

As Rollins claims in a Press interview: "It's not about what you believe," for "the idea is not to get the right interpretation of Scripture."

Rollins pursues the logical consequence of this view in "How (Not) to Speak of God," in which he compares his Ikon community to a doughnut: "Just as a doughnut has no interior, but is made up entirely of an exterior, so Ikon has no substantial doctrinal centre."

Since there is nothing to know, Rollins turns his attention to the only part of the Christian faith left -- how we live.

He replaces "right belief" with "believing in the right way," which means "believing in a loving, sacrificial and Christlike manner." He suggests that, while our Christian beliefs never describe "the Real or reality," somehow, they transform us into lovers who follow the way of Jesus by embracing others.

BIO BOX

Mike Wittmer

Professional: Wittmer is professor of systematic theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and author of "Don't Stop Believing: Why Living Like Jesus Is Not Enough"and "Heaven is a Place on Earth" (Zondervan).

Background: Wittmer, 41, has master's degrees in historical theology and divinity from GRTS and a doctorate in systematic theology from Calvin Theological Seminary. He taught at People's University in Beijing. He and his wife, Julie, have three children and live in Ada.

More: michaelwittmer.net.

But how would this work? Rollins violates his own principle of interpretation, for, despite Scripture's "clashing and smashing metaphors," he claims to know that God is telling us to care for one another.

So Rollins believes he has "the right interpretation of Scripture" after all -- something he insists is not possible.

Rollins knows God wants us to love one another, but he does not know who this God is or what he is like. How can he know the former if he does not know the latter?

Rollins may be a provocative dialogue partner about the shape of belief in a postmodern world, but in what sense is he a Christian contributor to the conversation?

If worship is our response to what God has said and done, then what can we learn about worship from someone who claims to not know what God has said and done?

Rollins rightly says we need to serve others, but he wrongly suggests ambivalence about the doctrines of the faith will help us get there.

As demonstrated in this month's Kent County Congregations Study, Christians in West Michigan find their belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ supplies the resources and motivation to love their neighbors.

These Christians never stop serving because they never stop loving, and they never stop loving because they never stop believing.